The Detroit Lions continue to build their coaching staff under new head coach Matt Patricia. On Wednesday, the team announced they have hired former NFL defensive back Steve Gregory as a defensive assistant.
#Lions add Steve Gregory to coaching staff as defensive assistant: https://t.co/W9QFUB2Sb3
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) March 7, 2018
If you’re looking for ties to the Lions current coaching staff, Gregory has a few. Most notably, during his playing years Gregory played under Matt Patricia with the New England Patriots. Gregory was a starting safety for New England in the 2012 and 2013 seasons, in which he managed seven passes defended and three interceptions.
Then, there’s the Syracuse connection. Gregory played wide receiver and cornerback for the Orangemen from 2002-05. During his first three years in college he played under now Lions defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni.
Additionally, Gregory started his coaching career at Syracuse, becoming the team’s special teams quality control coach in 2015.
Here’s now an exhaustive list of Lions coaches/administrators with some sort of tie to Syracuse:
- HC Matt Patricia (Syracuse offensive graduate assistant)
- DC Paul Pasqualoni (Head coach, LB coach)
- Defensive assistant Steve Gregory (player, special teams quality control)
- RB coach David Walker (RB coach)
- TE coach Chris White (ST/TE/WR coach)
- Offensive assistant/quality control Brian Picucci (played as fullback/TE)
- Director of football research David Corrao (DB/LB coach)
- Head coach assistant Evan Rothstein (quality control)
- Assistant director of pro scouting Rob Lohman (graduate assistant)
Welcome to the club, Steve. You’ll probably recognize a few familiar faces here in Detroit.